Hammer-supporting flange for piano-actions.



No. 809,042. PATENTED JAN. 2, 1906. O. P. BLINN. HAMMER SUPPORTING FLANGE FOR PIANO ACTIONS.

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APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1905.

Jnvenfw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES P. BLINN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO A. M. MOPHAIL PIANO COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

HAMMER-SUPPORTING FLANGE FOR PIANO-ACTIONS- Specification of Letters Patent Patented Jan. 2, 1906.

Application filed September 25,1905. Serial No. 279.892.

To all whom, it away concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. BLINN, of Boston, in the county of Suflolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hammer-Supporting Flanges for Piano-Actions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to what is commonly termed the continuous flange of a piano-action, which flange supports the pivots for the hammers. The necessity of having this flange continuous or of one piece from end to end is well known and need not be explained herein. It is supported by the hammer-rail, which is of wood.

The object of this invention is to provide a flange for supporting the hammers, which flange shall be so constructed that any one of the pivot-supports for the hammers may be removed when broken and a new one inserted Without incurring the necessity of removing all of the hammers and other appurtenances of the entire flange. With this end in view I construct the flange so that it shall be frangible at predetermined points that is, at points between the lugs which support the individual pivots of the ham mers. By this construction I am enabled to break out any one of the lugs and so much of the flange as immediately supports such lug without removing the rest of the flange or more than one hammer that was supported by the broken lug and then replace that one by a section of a flange.

The invention consists in the construction of the flange substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of'the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a detail elevation of a portion of a hammerrail and metallic continuous flange embodying my invention, a hammer-body being shown as pivoted to one of the lugs of the flange. Fig. 2 represents a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation on a larger scale than Fig. 1 and looking from the other side. Fig. 4 represents a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Similar reference characters indicate the same or similar parts throughout all of the views.

The usual wooden hammer rail a supports the continuous flange b, which is of metal,

- such as brass, by means of the screws 0.

Each hammer-body (Z is provided with a pivot-pin e, which is secured in place by a clampf and screw 9. The pivot-pin c is held in a narrow groove or depression formed in the face of the lug h, extending up from the flange 1). tion is similar to the usual one. The flange b as heretofore constructed, so far as I am aware, has been continuous from end to end, excepting for the lug portion it. hen a lug it breaks, as frequently occurs, it is necessary to remove all of the hammers and other appurtenances of the entire flange so that the necessary repairs can be made. This in volves a large amount of labor and time. In carrying out my invention I form the body portion of the flange h with cuts or kerfs 1), extending downward between the lugs 71 nearly to the lower edge of the flange, leav- So far as described the construcmg enough metal in the form of narrow necks t to preserve the continuity of the flange and insure the normal alinement of the hammer-pivots e. I increase,however, the usual number of screws 0 employed, using a screw hole between each pair of cuts or kerfs I), so that each portion of the flange between adjacent kerfs and the lug h on said portion are independently supported by a screw 0. WVhile this number of screws would not be necessary so long as the flange?) requires no repairs, they serve to strengthen the flange and prevent any liability of any displacement due to the weakening caused by the cuts or kerfs.

If a lug 7L is broken, so that it is necessary to supply a new support for a hammer, it is only necessary to remove the screw 0, which supports the portion of the flange immediately below the broken lug, and then with a suitable tool, such as a hammer or pliers, break out and remove the portion of the flange I) from which thebroken lug projects. Another flange portion of the same form as the removed portion and having a lug 72, may be now substituted for the removed portion and secured by the screw 0, that formerly held the removed portion, the substituted lug h being engaged with the hammer to support the same. This can be done without comprising a body portion and a series of lugs or hammer-supports, projecting from one edge of the body portion, the latter being provided with a series of screw-holes corresponding in number and position with the lugs, and with cuts or kerfs partially subdividing the body portion between the screw holes.

3. A flange for piano-actions having pivotsupporting lugs for the hammers projecting from one edge of the flange, the portions of the flange between said lugs being transversely weakened to permit the crosswise breakage of the flange between the lugs, whereby any lug-supporting portion of the flange may be broken out and removed without removal of the entire flange.

4. A flange for piano-actions having pivot supporting lugs for the hammers projecting from one edge of the flange, the portions of the flange between said lugs having cuts extending from one edge of the flange partly across the flange, the inner ends of said cuts being separated from the opposite edge oi the flange by narrow necks, which, while preserving the continuity of the flange, may be easily broken to permit the removal of any lug-supporting portion of the flange without removal of the entire flange.

, In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES P. BLINN. Witnesses C. F. BROWN, E. BATOHELDERU 

